WASHINGTON, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder addressed the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe and around the world, and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, as part of the 2014-2015 Hal Israel Endowed Lectureship in Jewish-Catholic Relations at Georgetown University today.

The Hal Israel Lecture series seeks to facilitate dialogue and strengthen ties between Jews and Catholics, exploring the many ways in which members of these two faiths continue to replace ancient prejudices with cooperation and understanding in today's world.

This evening’s address took place after Lauder testified yesterday on the rise of European anti-Semitism in the wake of recent terror attacks in France and Denmark, before the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, chaired by Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ).

The lecture series honors Hal Israel, who graduated from Georgetown University in 1992 and continued his studies at Yale University Law School, where he obtained his J.D. Upon graduation, he practiced law in Phoenix. Hal Israel was an active and involved lawyer and was devoted to helping others. Hal is survived by his wife Donna, two children, parents Lesley and Fred Israel, and his brother Sandy.

“U.S. must condemn this evil for what it is -- the radical Islamic hatred of Jews”

WASHINGTON, In testimony before a key Congressional committee today, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder warned that radical Islam is fueling the flames of a new anti-Semitism engulfing Europe, and blasted the United States for failing to lead a fight to extinguish the threat.

Appearing on behalf of WJC – representing more than 100 Jewish communities worldwide – before the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, Lauder said: “In order to defeat this new flame of radical Islamic terror and survive, the United States must lead. The United States can and must speak loudly and clearly to condemn this evil for what it is – the radical Islamic hatred of Jews.”

Lauder’s remarks came in testimony today before the House subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ), on the topic, “After Paris and Copenhagen, Responding to the Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism.” Also testifying on this issue were Roger Cukierman, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), and Dan Rosenberg Asmussen, president of the Danish Jewish community.

Lauder said the recent deadly wave of terror attacks against Jewish targets in Copenhagen and Paris were only the latest signs of a rising wave of anti-Semitism sweeping across Europe. This new form of anti-Semitism is being driven by radical Islam, but pushed along by extreme nationalists on the right and anti-Israel intellectual elites in universities, he said.

“European leaders have stepped up and strongly condemned these attacks on Jews and the rise of anti-Semitism,” he said. “The United States must do the same. The United States must lead.”

Further, Lauder criticized the absence of any U.S. representation at the anti-terror march in Paris in the wake of the attacks on the satiric weekly Charlie Hebdo and on a kosher supermarket, which drew world leaders and over 1 million participants.

“Many of the leaders in Europe linked arms in solidarity in the very front row, but there was not one U.S. representative with them in the front row,” he said. “I believe that sent a very negative message around the world.”

Lauder cited a string of statistics behind the rising anti-Semitism. Jews represent less than one percent of the French population, but were targeted by more than 50 percent of all racist attacks last year. Anti-Semitic attacks in France, the U.S. and Austria all doubled from 2013, he added. In fact, an EU report from nine nations showed that 16 months ago – long before the latest wave of terror – Jews in these countries were already concerned about growing anti-Semitism.

Lauder concluded by urging the U.S. to take the lead in countering this trend. “Why isn’t the United States leading the world in this crisis?” he said.

WASHINGTON, The leadership of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) met in Washington, D.C. for its annual Executive Committee meeting to discuss the growing threats to Jewish communities and the surge in anti-Semitism.

At a special reception tonight, Vice President Joe Biden commended World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder for his and the WJC’s tireless efforts to combat anti-Semitism in Europe and worldwide.

Commenting on the rise of world anti-Semitism, Biden said: “I spent a lot of time in Austria, Munich, and France talking about anti-Semitism in Europe and other places around the world and let me tell you that your work really matters. If you don't constantly speak out every time it raises its ugly head -- if you let it sit for a minute -- it's like a boil that festers. I want to thank you all for your constant, unrelenting oversight and for making sure that wherever it rears its head, you speak.”

World Jewish Congress CEO Robert Singer paid a visit to Finland, Norway and Denmark to discuss the situation of the Jewish communities in Scandinavia in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Copenhagen, which came as a shock to Scandinavian Jews.

Meeting with the Jewish community of FinlandMeeting with the Jewish community of FinlandSinger met with community leaders in Helsinki, Oslo and Copenhagen, as well as with government officials and lawmakers of these three countries, to analyze the security situation. The heads of all three Jewish communities told him that Jews were feeling increasingly uncomfortable and that anti-Semitism was clearly on the rise. However, they also emphasized that cooperation with the authorities in their respective countries was good.

Singer's visit included meetings with Danish Justice Minister Mette Frederiksen, at which he and Denmark's Jewish Community head Dan Asmussen discussed the responsibility of the Danish government for the physical security of Jews in the country. Frederiksen guaranteed that the protection of the community was not dependent on finances and that the Danish government would maintain a strong police presence at Jewish sites until a long-term plan to the security is elaborated by the police.

In Oslo, the WJC delegation also met with the State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affiars Bård Glad Pedersen and the ministry's Director-General Wegger Strømmen, as well as with the initiators of the peace-ring in Oslo in order to thank them and to discuss joint action for further similar initiatives.

In a meeting with MP Özlem Cekic from the Danish Socialist People's Party, it was agreed that in the current political climate it was important to build bridges between the Jewish and Muslim minorities in European countries.

New York, More than 300 Jews from across the religious spectrum from Hasidic to secular gathered for the Third Annual Orthodox Jewish All Stars Awards red-carpet event this week at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, honoring those who proudly observe Jewish tradition while rising to the heights of their professions. Jew in the City, the organization dedicated to re-branding Orthodox Jews and Judaism through digital media, hosted the gala.

Among this year’s 10 Orthodox Jewish All Stars are Forbes magazine-ranked hedge fund manager and philanthropist Henry Swieca; BCBGeneration Creative Director Joyce Azria; and Columbia Law School Dean Emeritus David Schizer. This diverse and accomplished group also includes: Saul Blinkoff, Disney animator and film director; Professor Marta Weinstock-Rosin, 2014 Israel Prize winner in medicine who developed a drug to slow dementia caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s; Yael Federbush, four-time Emmy-winning producer at “The Today Show”; Professor Barry Simon, 2012 Henri Poincaré prize winner for outstanding achievements in mathematical physics; Josh Meier, 4th place winner of the 2014 Intel Prize and named “One of the Eight Whiz Kids Who Are the Future of Medicine” by CNN; Estee Ackerman, table tennis phenom ranked sixth in the country in her division and a 2016 Olympic hopeful; and Mindy Pollak, a Montreal councilwoman who made history last fall as the first Hasidic woman ever to be elected to public office. “When we created this award in 2012, we focused on shattering people’s misconceptions about Orthodox Jews and what they could accomplish professionally. Last year, when Chanukah historically intersected with Thanksgiving, we celebrated the religious freedoms that exist in the world today, which allow people of all faiths to excel in a variety of career paths.” said Allison Josephs, Jew in the City founder and director. “This year, our message is our most crucial one yet: With anti-Semitic attacks on the rise across the globe, we are celebrating 10 individuals who proudly observe Jewish traditions as they’ve soared to the tops of their fields.” Adds Josephs: “Increased anti-Semitism is a threat to all Jews and should concern all good people, but the reality is that those who look the most Jewish (i.e. the Orthodox Jewish community) are the most visible targets. These Orthodox Jewish All Stars serve as a poignant reminder that you can be a proud religious Jew and still be highly successful. No one should feel the need to hide his Judaism or observance. We must never cower in the face of anti-Semitism."Past Orthodox Jewish All Stars have included former Senator Joe Lieberman, Top Ten Billboard Recording Artist Alex Clare, New York Times bestselling novelist, and Faye Kellerman who all appeared in the inaugural All Stars video in 2012. Last year’s list included Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Nobel Laureate Robert Aumann, and advertising agency 360i CEO, Sarah Hofstetter.Many of this year's and previous year's All Stars and other prominent guests attended the awards party in downtown Manhattan Dec. 2, including nine of the latest winners. Notables included Ethan Zohn, a “Survivor Africa” winner, cancer survivor and founder of the organization “Grassroots Soccer”; the Hasidic girl-band “Bullet-Proof Stockings”; and a member of the YouTube sensations the Maccabeats.Attendees enjoyed music, wine, and a dairy Chanukah-themed dinner including latke and donut bars. The event was emceed by Hasidic comic Mendy Pellin, a 2012 Orthodox Jewish All Star who the New York Times called “Stephen Colbert with a beard and a black hat.” A short film featuring several of the All Stars and how they’ve balanced career and observance premiered at the gala as well.

France is in shock after a young Jewish couple was assaulted in what police are treating as an anti-Semitic attack.

WJC, Two adult men from Créteil, the Paris suburb where the attack took place, have been arrested by police in connection with the crime while a third suspect is still being sought.The attack occurred on Monday. Three men armed with a pistol and a shotgun stormed the home of a Jewish family in Créteil, one of the eastern outskirts of French capital. After knocking on the door of the apartment and then breaking in, they demanded money and shouted anti-Semitic insults.

One of the sons in the family, 21 years of age, was there at the time with his 19-year-old girlfriend while the parents were away. One of the assailants proceeded to withdraw money from the nearest ATM with the couple's stolen debit cards while the two others remained in the apartment with the couple. The duo then raped the woman and tied up the man. After hearing them scream, a neighbor called the police.

According to a report by France's BFM website, the assailants targeted this particular couple because they mistakenly thought the male victim, a salesman at a popular clothing store at the Creteil mall, was the store's manager and had access to large amounts of money. Before the rape, the men demanded that the couple hand over their credit cards and codes, the couple later told police.

"Tell us where you hide the money," said one of the assailants during the robbery, according to one of the victims' friends in the BFM report. "You Jews always have money.”

Reactions

The French Jewish umbrella organization CRIF strongly condemned what it termed “a savage anti-Semitic aggression” and urged authorities to act against growing anti-Semitism in the country:

“Anti-Semitism is continuing to rage across our country: Anti-Semitic prejudice is becoming stronger and increasingly perturbing, as revealed a recent survey of Fondapol/Ifop about anti-Semitism in France. We call for a specific plan to be urgently put in place whose aim it must be to deploy unprecedented judicial and police measures to reverse this trend. The CRIF expresses its support to the victims and their families,” the CRIF statement said.

France has seen a sharp rise in anti-Semitism in recent years, and it flared particularly during this Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, with violent protests in Paris and other French cities.

On Thursday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls condemned the attack as “vile” and said that it demonstrated that the fight against anti-Semitism was a daily struggle.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in a statement on Wednesday that the attack’s "anti-Semitic nature seems proven" as the assailants had "started with the idea that being Jewish means having money.”

WJC, Pope Francis has reiterated his position to open the secret Vatican archives covering the period of World War II to allow researchers to assess the role played by Pope Pius XII during the Holocaust.

In an extensive interview with the Israeli newspaper 'Yediot Ahronot', Francis said there was "an agreement between the Vatican and Italy from 1929 that prevents us from opening the archives to researchers at this point in time. But because of the time that has passed since World War II, I see no problem with opening the archives the moment we sort out the legal and bureaucratic matters."

The pope expressed worries that the current debate about Pius XII was not fair. "One thing worries me, and I'll be honest with you – the image of Pope Pius XII. Ever since Rolf Hochhuth wrote the play The Deputy in 1963, poor Pope Pius XII has been accused of all sorts of things (including having been aware of the extermination of the Jews and doing nothing). I'm not saying he didn't make mistakes. He made a few. I get things wrong often too. But prior to the release of the play, he was considered a big defender of the Jews.

"During the Holocaust, Pius gave refuge to many Jews in monasteries in Italy. In the Pope's bed at Castel Gandolfo, 42 small children were born to couples who found refuge there from the Nazis. These are things that people don't know. When Pius XII died, Golda Meir sent a letter that read: 'We share in the pain of humanity. When the Holocaust befell our people, the Pope spoke out for the victims.' But then along came this theater performance, and everyone turned their backs on Pius XII.

"And again, I'm not saying that he didn't make mistakes. But when you interpret history, you need to do so from the way of thinking of the time in question. I can't judge historical events in modern-day terms. It doesn't work. I'll never get to the truth like that. Prof. Benzion Netanyahu, the father of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, once gave me a copy of the book he wrote about the Inquisition. I read it studiously. I'm not saying we should justify the actions of the Inquisition, but we need to investigate this period with the right tools and only then pass judgment.

"Did Pius XII remain silent in the face of the extermination of the Jews? Did he say all he should have said? We will have to open the archives to know exactly what happened. But to judge the actions, we will also need to understand the circumstances under which he was acting: Perhaps it was better for him to remain silent because had he spoken, more Jews would have been murdered? Or maybe the other way around? I don't want to sound petty, but it really gets my goat when I see that everyone is against the Church, against Pius XII – all those detractors.

"And what about the Allies during the war? After all, they were well aware of what was going on in the death camps and they were very familiar with the railroad tracks that led Jews to Auschwitz. They had aerial photographs. And they didn't bomb those tracks. I'll leave that question hanging in the air, and say only that one needs to be very fair in these things."

The worst thing that can happen now is for the international community to agree to a deal that leaves Iran as a threshold nuclear power and removes the sanctions. That would be a disaster of historic proportions.

Greetings to all of you, my friends, all of you who are attending the General Assembly 2014. Greetings from Jerusalem - the eternal and united capital of the Jewish people.

... It's important to have friends like the United States and Canada because, it's important for any country to have such alliances, but especially for a country like Israel that faces many challenges unlike any other nation on Earth. But none of these challenges is more important than the threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Our goal must not be merely to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons today. We must also prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons tomorrow.

Iran is openly committed to Israel's destruction. And even as Iran negotiates a nuclear deal with the leading powers in the international community, its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, brazenly calls for Israel's annihilation. These are not my words, these are his words: Israel's annihilation. He just did it again three days ago on his Twitter account.That's apparently the Iranian regime's idea of modernity - tweeting about the annihilation of Israel.

But I'm afraid these aren't mere words. These aren't mere words; they're not just statements thrown out in the air, which is harmful enough. The regime in Iran's wild rhetoric is also backed by murderous action.

Iran arms, trains, finances the Palestinian terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. It has supplied them, and its main terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, with tens of thousands of rockets to fire on Israeli citizens.Iran perpetrates murder and mayhem throughout the Middle East - in Syria, in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Gaza, in Yemen and elsewhere. It has spread a reign of terror across five continents - from Bangkok to Burgas, and even an attempt in Washington, DC.

Iran's savagery abroad is also matched by its brutality at home. The ayatollah regime executes political opponents, religious and ethnic minorities, gays, feminists and journalists. And executions have increased, not decreased, under the supposedly moderate Rouhani regime.

This is how Iran acts without nuclear weapons; now imagine how Iran will act if a deal is made that leaves it as a threshold nuclear power.

My friends,

It's obvious that Iran wants to remove the sanctions that have had such a devastating impact on its economy.But it should be equally obvious that Iran is not prepared to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in return.

Unfortunately, instead of holding firm and demanding that Iran dismantle its program, the international community is reportedly, and I hope these reports do not prove to be true, but the international community is reportedly willing to leave Iran's nuclear program largely intact. They hope to rely on intelligence and inspectors to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

I believe this would be a bad deal and a huge mistake. We must recognize the limitations of our own intelligence gathering capabilities. Remember - for years, both Israel's intelligence and US intelligence failed to discover Iran's secret enrichment facilities at Natanz and Qom. And given that record, there is no reason to believe that our intelligence facilities will be perfect in the future.

As for inspectors, they weren't able to stop North Korea from getting the bomb. And if the ten year run-around that Iran has given the International Atomic Energy Agency is any indication, inspectors won't stop Iran from getting the bomb either. The IAEA itself has reported just last week that Iran continues to conceal the most suspicious aspects of its nuclear program from the international inspectors that are already in Iran.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Some people have suggested that Iran can help America solve the problems of the Middle East. But Iran is not part of the solution. It's a huge part of the problem. The Islamic State of Iran is not a partner of America. It's an enemy of America. And it should be treated as an enemy - by keeping tough sanctions on the regime; by making clear that the international community is determined to do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from breaking out or sneaking out to get the bomb.

See, the worst thing that can happen now is for the international community to agree to a deal that leaves Iran as a threshold nuclear power and removes the sanctions. That would be a disaster of historic proportions. It would embolden all of Iran's terrorist proxies throughout the region; it would trigger a nuclear arms race between Sunnis and Shi'ites that would endanger the entire planet.And it would pose, needless to say, a grave danger to the State of Israel.

Israel cannot allow a regime committed to its destruction to develop the weapons to achieve that goal.

But the alternative to a bad deal is not war. It means giving existing sanctions and even stronger sanctions more time to work to achieve the goal of fully dismantling Iran's military nuclear capabilities. To remove sanctions before that goal is reached is to remove any hope of a genuine diplomatic solution.

That is why avoiding a bad deal and maintaining strong pressure on Iran should be the policy of all responsible governments. So too, all responsible governments should help President Obama in his effort to degrade and defeat ISIS. But as I said to the United Nations a few months ago, to defeat ISIS and allow Iran to be a threshold nuclear power would be to win the battle and lose the war.

The greatest threat facing our world is to have the forces of militant Islam get the bomb. That must never be allowed to happen, for Israel's sake, for the peace in the Middle East, for the peace and security of the entire world.

Pope Francis received a delegation of 40 international Jewish leaders at his residence, ahead of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, which begins next week. The presidents of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, and of the Latin American Jewish Congress, Jack Terpins, presented the head of the Catholic Church with a number of gifts, including a traditional honey cake.

During their conversation, the Pope notably raised the question of the persecution and mass slaughter of Christians in the Middle East and told the Jewish delegation: “Like you [the Jews] suffered in the past, Christians are today suffering in many parts of the world.”

The meeting with Francis took place in the Santa Marta guesthouse in an informal setting and lasted 40 minutes. Among the participants were many Jewish community heads from Latin America and other parts of the world.

The Pope expressed his desire for peace in the Middle East and said the “window of prayer” to find a peaceful solution was still open. Lauder also raised the subject of the mass slaughter and persecution of Christians in the Middle East, to which the Pope replied: “Christians are being expelled from the region. They are persecuted, not liked, discriminated against. You [the Jews] suffered from that in the past, and we [the Christians] are suffering from it today in parts of the world.”

NEW YORK, USC Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education and the World Jewish Congress will be supporting the official observance of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz with Auschwitz: The Past is Present, a global communication and education program. As part of the program, the World Jewish Congress will arrange for 100 survivors of Auschwitz, the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp, to attend and participate in the official observance of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on 27 January 2015.

Auschwitz commemoration in January 2005The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and the International Auschwitz Council are the organizers of the official commemoration event. “January 27, 2015 will be a truly exceptional day,” said Piotr M.A. Cywiński, director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. “On this day of remembrance, the whole world will focus on the tragedy of the Shoah and the entire cruel system of ghettos and concentration camps. The survivors will be our most important guests.”

“When we gather at the site of unspeakable terror, we will do so to show not only survivors, but the entire world, that the suffering of so many will never be forgotten,” said USC Shoah Foundation Executive Director Stephen D. Smith. “Those who lived through the Holocaust have carried the burden of remembering long enough. It’s up to us now, their children and grandchildren, to lift its heavy weight off their shoulders. We are ready to take on the responsibility of ensuring that this tragic chapter of human history is never repeated.”

“Auschwitz is not only the world’s biggest Jewish graveyard, it is also the primary symbol of the Holocaust, the biggest organized mass murder in human history. This will probably mark the last time that so many survivors will be able to join us there, and we must ensure that the unspeakable suffering they and many others had to endure at Auschwitz will not be forgotten once they are no longer among us,” said WJC CEO Robert Singer. He went on to say: “The World Jewish Congress and our President Ronald S. Lauder are honored that such renowned partners have agreed to jointly prepare this important anniversary, to ensure that this anniversary will get the world’s attention.”

An estimated 1.1 million people, most of them Jews, were murdered in Auschwitz, in German-occupied Poland, between 1941 and 1945.

USC Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education is dedicated to making audiovisual interviews with survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides, a compelling voice for education and action. The Institute’s current collection of over 53,000 eyewitness testimonies preserves history as told by the people who lived it, and lived through it. Housed at the University of Southern California, within the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the Institute works with partners around the world to advance scholarship and research, to provide resources and online tools for educators, and to disseminate the testimonies for educational purposes.